West Plains is the only boys and girls cross country program with more state championships (29) than Herculaneum (24).
In 2025, both Blackcat teams finished third in the state in Class 3. In another example of the sustained excellence Herculaneum has enjoyed for decades, last year’s finishes made it 55 top four trophies for both squads. Blackcat head coach Kyle Davis enters his 15th season with the teams he led to state titles (boys, 2021; girls, 2012).
Both Herculaneum squads began the season Aug. 29 at the Jackson Invitational. The competition was held on a 2-mile course. Competition for the postseason is run on 3.1-mile (5K) courses.
Here is a look at the boys and girls teams in the Jefferson County Activities Association.
Crystal City Hornets
State championships: Boys (1984); girls (2015)
Head coach: Kira Gentry, ninth year
School 5K records: Jim Jennings, 16:07 (1982); Meagan Hudson, 19:30.29 (2005)
GIRLS
Top runners: sophomores Makensie Gee, Uriah Goring.
Finish line: Gee was 41st at the Class 1 state meet last year, and her time was about 20 seconds slower than the final all-state (top 30) time.
BOYS
Top runners: junior Noah O’Silva.
“All runners on the team have been art students of mine. It has been a privilege to teach and coach these individuals,” Gentry said.
Herculaneum Blackcats
State championships: Boys, 13 (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2021); girls, 11 (1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012)
Head coach: Kyle Davis, 15th year
School 5K records: Sam Vaughn, 15:37.0 (2023); Kaitlyn Fischer, 17:51.5 (2012)
GIRLS
Top runners: seniors Finley Hamtil, Emerson Reeves; juniors Amaya Ferguson, Brylee Wishard.
Finish line: Reeves has qualified for state all three years, and won medals (top 30) the last two. At the Jackson Invitational, Reeves was fifth in 12:58.36. Hamtil has run at state three times and was a state medalist in 2024. Ferguson (18th) and Wishard (22nd) were all-state last year.
BOYS
Top runners: senior Preston Wallman; juniors Owen Davis, Austin Baer; sophomore Noah Fitzgerald.
Finish line: All four returning Blackcats ran at state last year. Fitzgerald turned in the top place (12th) and time (16:20.3). He finished first at Jackson running in the sophomore division in 10:23.95. Davis, the coach’s son, had the top Blackcat finish (ninth, 11:27.13) running with the juniors.
“Expectations are high for the athletes this year,” Coach Davis said. “It almost goes without saying now that every year the goal is the (state) podium, but they’re really focusing on the importance of each day, instead of some goal they are trying to achieve way down the road. To live in the here and the now, and enjoy the journey, we continue to remind ourselves that every day matters.”
De Soto Dragons
Top four state finishes: girls, Class 3, fourth (2018); Class 3, second (2019)
Head coach: Robert Hyde, sixth year
School 5K records: Carson Koerber, 15:38 (2025); Justa Dahl, 18:50 (1995).
GIRLS
Top runners: seniors Katelyn Strawhun, Payton Stearns, Elizabeth Bourisaw, Alexis Ruby; junior Gracie Maijala; sophomore Aila Sagehorn.
Finish line: Since the two straight top four performances, Hyde said the De Soto girls are continuing to grow the program. Strawhun and Maijala have both qualified for state over the past two seasons. Strawhun qualified in 2024 and Maijala qualified in 2025. Stearns is new to the team, but Hyde said she’s put in a great summer. The Dragons began the season at the CM Twilight Invitational on Aug. 29 on the 3-mile course at the Bethalto (Ill.) Sports Complex. Strawhun was 29th in 21:53.33.
BOYS
Top runners: seniors Cruz Anders, Clayton Rozycki, Jacob Schuenemeyer; junior Landen Vogelsang; sophomore Brycen Stopp.
Finish line: Now that his all-state running buddy Carson Koerber has graduated, Anders is now the top Dragon. And he had the top finish (sixth) for De Soto at Bethalto in 15:59.96. Anders’ biggest achievement last year was moving up to sixth in the state after coming in 51st in 2024. Hyde said Rozycki and Schuenemeyer have played major roles in the team’s success over the past few seasons. Hyde said Stopp had a great summer.
“Our philosophy for both teams is to show up every day, do the work and be ready to compete on race day,” Hyde said. “We look to be our best when it matters most, at districts and state. The girls look to improve on their district finish, and the boys’ biggest goal is to make their third consecutive trip to the state meet in November.”
Grandview Eagles
Head coach: Scott Meyer, 10th year
GIRLS
Top runner: senior Ellie Kutrip.
Finish line: This is Kutrip’s fourth year on the varsity. She’s also in the school’s marching band. Meyer said Kutrip put in extra training this summer.
BOYS
Top runner: senior Ethan Stepan.
Finish line: Stepan is also in his fourth season. During the spring track and field season, he competes in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs. Meyer said after Stepan finished 40th at districts last year, he wants to “fine tune him and shake a minute off of his time.”
Grandview’s boys and girls compete in their first race at Arcadia Valley on Sept. 12.
Hillsboro Hawks
State championships: Boys (2022)
Head coaches: Katie Lauterwasser, third year; Tom Gordon, 19th year
School 5K records: Josh Allison, 15:25.08 (2022); Emma Wright, 19:33:31 (2018)
GIRLS
Top runners: juniors Lyla Wright, Sophia Hudson; sophomores Hayleigh Churchill, Emma Rainwater, Sophia Pritchett, Lydia Mayer; freshmen Taylor Mann, Macie Czapla.
Finish line: Wright (100th) and Churchill (115th) both ran at state last year. The Hawks began the season Wednesday after deadline at the Fleet Feet Cross Country Classic at Arnold City Park.
BOYS
Top runners: sophomores Jacob Schatzman, Tyler Smith, Tucker Williams, Seth Ricketts, Luca Conte, Robert Rulo.
Finish line: Last year Hillsboro’s freshman team won the Frank Schultz Invitational on their home course. Time will tell if the sophomore-heavy Hawks can translate that to varsity success.
Gordon laid out his expectations for the young team in a conference with powerhouses from Herculaneum and Festus. Hillsboro’s boys also start at Fleet Feet.
“Compete for top three at the (JCAA championships), finish better as a team than last year at the district meet, get the students ready for a peak performance toward the end of the season,” he said.
Jefferson Blue Jays
Head coach: Charity Heacock, fourth year
School 5K records: Bryant Horn, 16:45 (2025); Emerson Selsor, 19:13 (2022)
Top four state finishes: girls, Class 2, third (2018)
GIRLS
Top runners: senior Miley Reed; juniors Avery Humphrey, Ella Waltman; freshmen Emily Meyer, Mallory Selsor, Ali Waltman.
Finish line: The Blue Jays didn’t run many girls races as a team last year because the school’s softball and volleyball teams draw athletes in the fall too. Running at the Jackson meet, Selsor finished fifth among freshmen in 13:33.10.
“Our goal is to keep improving their times and pushing each other to be competitive,” Heacock said.
BOYS
Top runners: senior Bryant Horn; junior Tyson Jefferson; sophomore Braxton Caldwell; freshmen Blaine Bennett, Jaxon McCoy, Clayton Wideman.
Finish line: The boys won the North County Invitational, Bismarck Invitational, were second in Class 2 District 1 and finished fifth at state, one spot from its first team trophy. Horn finished 20th in the state, and had the team’s best time (11:25.43) in Jackson on Aug. 29.
“I look for them to do well and push each other to improve in each race,” Heacock said. “They are a competitive group of young men.”
Windsor Owls
Head coach: Sally Helton, 10th year
School records: Brad Ahrens, 16:20 (2021); McKenzie Robbins, 21:48 (2025)
GIRLS
Top runners: senior Chloe Lammert; juniors Lillian Conner, McKenzie Robbins, Keira Timmons; sophomores Alexis Bien, Ava Grindell Jordan Lessard, Kira Sentir; freshman Mia Brown.
Finish line: Robbins and Lessard were state qualifiers last season. Timmons returns to the sport after a few years away, Helton said. She said that there are several new athletes on the team.
“They may be young, but they’re ready to show what they can do,” Helton said of the boys and girls. “They ran hard all summer and are ready to show what they can do for the team.”
BOYS
Top runners: seniors Nathan Akers, John McCain; junior JD Schlarman; sophomores Joseph Boyer, Jed Reiman; freshmen Corey Gartner, Aiden Merchant.
Finish line: Schlarman’s time at state of 17:39.4 is just over a minute slower than the final all-state (top 30) time. Robbins, Lessard and Schlarman were the most Owls at one time ever to qualify for state.
“These athletes have really shown up this year,” Helton said again about both squads. “They attended summer runs and developed a solid training base. They all have individual and team goals that they are determined to reach.
“They may be the most dedicated group of athletes I’ve had the pleasure to coach.”
Independent
St. Pius X Lancers
Head coaches: Jon Daly, ninth year
GIRLS
Finish line: Daly said none of the girls who have been practicing have experience in the sport. But freshmen Gianna Davis, Penelope Beil and Christina Emmett all competed in their first races at Jackson. Davis had the best time of 20:42.34.
BOYS
Top runners: sophomores Noah Statzel, Ben Wacker.
Finish line: Statzel finished fifth among sophomores at Jackson in 11:16.22. Wacker’s time was 13:07.05.